Method of and apparatus for fibrating emulsions



Nov. 29, 1932. E. o. GRosKoPF 1,889,473

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FIBRATING EMULSIONS Filed April 22, 1929Patented Nov. 29, 1932 UNITED STATESA PATENT OFFICE EDWIN O. GROSXO'PF,OFRUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T0 THEFLINTKOTE CORPORATION, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPO- RATION OF:MASSACHUSETTS METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FIBRATING EMULSIONSApplication led April 22,

This invention relates to a method of, and apparatus for, bratingbituminous compositions, and is concerned more particularly with animproved method of, and apparatus for, incorporating fibrous material inaqueous dispersions of waterproof material, such as asphalt, rubber, orthe like.

Watery dispersions of asphalt, tar, pitch, rubber, and similarsubstances normally immiscible with water are well known and theirapplication to various industrial uses is like- 'wise known. In certainof these uses it is frequently necessary, or at least desirable, tocombine with the dispersion, fibrous material of various types to renderthe dispersed product more plastic so that a single coat or at most,only a few coats thereof will suffice to produce a comparatively thickilm or layer of the composition. Thus, where the dispersion product isemployed as a roof plastic for repairing old or leaky roofs, or as aroof flashing, it is desirable that the composition be rendered more orless plastic so that it can be troweled in place in relatively thicklayers. Again, where dispersions of this general type areI combined withcementitious material, as for example, Portland cement, and with finemineral aggregate such as sand, for making up a mastic compositionsuitable to the production of flooring, mastic wall structures,etcetera, it is necessary in many instances to brate the dispersion inorder to eliminate contractional cracks in the finished structure thatusually occur therein incident to the setting up of the masticcomposition.

The incorporation of fibrous material in aqueous dispersions ofbituminous or like substances has heretofore been a rather troublesomeprocedure and not always productive of 40 the desired uniformdissemination of the fibers in the dispersion. Particularly with someand this diiculty `is sometimesaggravted 1929. serial N.s5`7,16e.

when the dispersed particles are not of a desired fine order ofsubdivision.

y invention is concerned with an improved method of introducing fibersof various sorts into aqueous dispersions of asphalt or the like, andhas as its primary object the provision of a method of'this'type whichwill enable the fibers to be introduced rapidly into the dispersionswithout any of the foregoing objectionable effects taking place. To thisend, and stating my invention somewhat briefiy, I propose to subject thefibrous material, or material which can yield the `desired fibers bydisintegration, to a shredding or individualizing operation whereby thebers are separated one from another and become more or lessindividualized, the individualized fibers being maintained in extendedconditionv with large volumes of air, in which conditions they are thenblown or forced under air pressure into a batch of the dispersion Whilethe latter is undergoing a rapid agitating action. .To secure the bestresults 1n accordance with my invention the dispersion should comprise,or be made to comprise, dispersed particles of a ne state ofsubdivision.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the accompanyingdrawing, in which Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate diagrammatically anarrangement of apparatus that may be usedd in carrying the inventioninto practise, an

Fig. 3 is a detail of part of mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

the numeral 20 designates a conventional commercial form ofdisintegrator or shredding apparatus which may comprise an elongatedcylinder within which is 'mounted a longitudinal shaft 2l having fixedthereto a radial series of blades 22, extending longitudinally thereof,the cutting edges 23 of the blades being sharpened to any desiredextent'. A series of longitudinally 'extending stationary blades 24 isfixed to the inner wall of the cylinder 20 in the lower portionsthereof, for cooperation with the blades 22. The stationary blades 24are sharpened along their free edges-as shown at 25, the pitch o`shredding or disintegrating device the cutting edges 25 beingsubstantially equal but directed oppositely to the pitch of the cuttingedges 23 on the blades 22. The arrangement of the cooperating cuttingblades and their respective cutting edges is such as to provide arelatively small clearance between the effective cutting edges asillustrated in detail in Fig. 3. Rotation of the blades 22 is effectedby connecting the shaft 21 directly to a motor 26.

zIhe cylinder 20 is provided along its uppermost portion with a feedconduit 27 through which the fibrous material may be delivsred to thedisintegrator from any convenient source (not shown). The lower end ofthe cylinder is joined by a conduit 28 to an enlarged receiving chamber29, and a foraminous screen or sieve 30 of about 1li mesh may be mountedhorizontally in the conduit 28. A small blower 31 is connected through apassageway or conduit 32 to one of the walls of the receiving chamber29, while the opposite wall thereof is in open communication through aconduit 33 with the suction end of the blower 34, the pressure outlet ofwhich is connected through a conduit 35, with any form of emulsionmixing apparatus 36.

In place of the blower 31, I may use a ste-am jet whereby steam, insteadof air, may be f orced into the chamber 29, the steam serving also towet the fibers more or less, and thereby permit them to be more easilyintroduced into the dispersion.

The mixing apparatus 36 may comprise an enlarged tank provided with arotatable shaft 37 mounted longitudinally therein and carrying asuitable number of paddle blades 3 8 for stirrinr or mixing a mass ofdispersed bltumen, rubber or other emulsified base.

In carrying the method of my invention into ractise with equipment suchas above described, the fibrous material to be incorporated in the disersion is delivered to the 20. Where wool fibers are to constitute thefibratmaterial for the dispersion, the material de ivered to theshredder will usually be in the form of wool flocks. In some instancescotton linters, shoddy, or even scrap garments composed of the desiredfibers may be used as the source of the fibrating material to bedelivered to the shredder. In any event, however, the material deliveredto the shredder will be disintegrated and the fibers substantiallyindividualized by the cutting and disintegrating action of thecooperating blades, The shaft 21 carrying the rotary blades 22 willgenerally be operated at a rotational speed of 800 to 900 R. P. M. Thedisintegrated and individualized fibers will fall by gravity throughconduit 28 into the receivm chamber 29 while any lumps or flocks ofibers not sufficiently disintegrated will be retained on the oraminousscreen 30 and prevented thereby from entering the chamber 29. The airintroduced into the chamber by means of the blower 31 serves to preventthe bers from settling to the bottom of the chamber, and also, by reasonof the large volumes of air thus associated with the fibers, retains theindividualized fibers in an extended condition, thus enabling them to becarried along in extended and individualized condition by the blower 34to be introduced in the form of a fibrous cloud into the dispersion.

Mixer 36 may be charged with emulsion through one of the pipes 39, theother pipe 39 servingas an outlet for the fibrated product. Necessarily,the emulsion must be introduced to the mixer 36 before addition of thefiber, and the material agitated before as vwell as during theintroduction of the fibers. In other words, this operation would be abatch operation. The amount of fiber incorporated inthe emulsion mayrange from 2 to 6%, more or less, by weight of the emulsion, dependingupon the use to which it is to be put.

In carrying the invention into practise, I find that where wool bersweighing about three pounds per cubic foot are employed, the operationis most efficient when the blower31 is operated to supply 100 to 150cubic feet of air per pound of fiber withdrawn at 33. A suitablequantity of aqueous dispersion is Jfed to the beater 36 and undergoesagitation therein through the action of the revolving paddles 38, andwhile being so agitated individualized bers are continuously withdrawnfrom the receiving chamber 29 by the sucking action of the blower intothe emulsified or dispersed material. By thus introducing the fibers inmore or less individualized condition and in what may be termed afibrous cloud due to the presence of the large volumes of air, into thedispersion while agitating the same, the incorporation of fibrousmaterial is effected in a very smooth manner andv the fibers becomeuniformly disseminated therethrough without any tendency of the fibersto clot or ball together as they are introduced into the dispersion.

It is to be understood that the invention is applicable to the fibratingof emulsions of any particle size, although a superior type of fibrateddispersion product can be secured if the dispersed particles are finelysubdivided, for instance, if the dispersion is of such a fine state ofsubdivision that a great many of the particles are of colloidal order,most of them being within the range of 0.1 to 5 microns, while thelargest particles, of which only a relatively small number are present,d o not substantially exceed 10 microns in size. i

The fibers are incorporated into or absorbed by the dispersion andhomogeneously llO assays distributed therethrough in individualizedcondition with the result that a brated dispersion product of uniformconsistency and smooth body is produced.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of incorporating brous material in aqueous dispersions ofsubstances normally immiscible with water, which cornprisesdisintegrating brous material to thereby render the same substantiallyindividualized, and introducing said bers into the dispersion in astream while maintaining the individualized condition of the bers.y

2. The methody of incorporating brous material in aqueous dispersions ofsubstances normally immiscible with water, which comarisesdisintegrating brous material to thereby render the same substantiallyindividualized, and introducing` said bers into the dispersion in auidstreamlwhile maintainingthe individualized condition of the bers andwhile vthe dispersion is being subjected to agitating action.

3. The method of incorporating brous material in aqueous dispersions ofsubstances normally immiscible with water, which comprisesdisintegrating fibrous material to thereby render the same substantiallyindif vidualized, and forcing said individualized bers into saiddispersion under fluid pressure in a stream in which the bers are in anextended condition.

4. The method of. incorporating brous material in aqueous disperslons ofsubstances Y normally immiscible with water, which comprisesdisintegrating brous material to thereby render the same substantiallyindividualized, and forcing said individualized bers while extended withlarge volumes oi air, into said dispersion while the dispersion is beingsubjected to agitating action.

5. The method of incorporating brous material in aqueous dispersions ofsubstances normally immiscible with water,'which com- V prisessubjecting the brous material to a mechanical action whereby toindividualize the same, and introducing said bers into the dispersion ina`-` stream while maintaining the individualized condition of the bers.

6. The method of incorporating fibrous material in aqueous dispersionsof substances normallyimmisciblewith water, which comprises subjectingthe fibrous material to mechanical -action to individualize the same,and introducing said bers into the dispersion in a uid streamA whilemaintaining the individualized condition of the bers and while thedispersion is being subjected to agitating action.

In testimony whereof I aix my sgnature.

EDWIN O. GROS PF.

